Back to the future

Blues have definitely returned to the recipe that served them so well last season. Rowett’s first Birmingham side was tight, hard to beat and hopeful of a goal on the break.

They evolved a little towards the end of last season as Robert Tesche had them ticking over in midfield - but the current team is more similar to Rowett’s Blues Mk I than the one which featured the German.

They are, though, better than the group which turned the Titanic 12 months ago.

Demarai Gray is a year older, there’s more proven depth in wide positions, there’s better options in central midfield and arguably a better goalkeeper.

Gray day

The teenager is a work in progress and anyone expecting him to dominate every game or tear Championship teams to pieces on a weekly basis is going to be disappointed.

However, he seems to have a habit of producing something special just when you think he needs to be taken out of the team.

If he is to miss the England Under 20s tournament in Germany two weeks off will not be the worst thing in the world.

Birmingham City's Clayton Donaldson and Leeds United's Liam Cooper

Real contenders?

One wonders just how long Blues can defy financial gravity and continue to punch above their weight at the top of the league.

We’re ten games in and they are as organised, industrious and opportunistic as any team I’ve seen in the Championship so far.

We should probably leave it until 30 games have gone before we draw too many lasting conclusions or make too many bombastic predictions.

But the fact is Birmingham have put themselves in a stunning position - just two points outside the automatic promotion places.

Birmingham City's Demarai Gray celebrates scoring

No shame in pragmatism

When it looked as though a Leeds onslaught was building Rowett wasn’t too proud to play a centre half out of position.

Jonathan Spector came on for David Davis and sat in front of the back four in a role similar to that performed by Paul Robinson in previous weeks.

That very deep lying midfielder was the final insurmountable obstacle for Leeds to hurdle and if some other Blues managers had tried it they’d have been lambasted.

Birmingham City's Demarai Gray scores

No surprises from Blues.

Leeds boss Uwe Rosler said before and after the match he knew what Birmingham would do - be compact, pack the midfield and use pace on the sides. Knowing is one thing, stopping is another.

He commented: “Good players, good coaches, good managers know what they are doing when it’s 1-0 - they made life very difficult.”

It can be no coincidence that for the second game running Blues have landed a sucker punch as opponents have chased the game.